Post navigation

Top 3 things that are stopping your from climbing the corporate ladder quickly

Whether you know what it is yet or not, there’s an ultimate destination to your professional career, an ultimate goal that someday you’d like to reach. Maybe you’re aware about what that is, maybe you haven’t quite narrowed it down yet, or, maybe, you’re too scared to say it out loud and make it a reality.
Whatever your situation may be, to reach your goal you must climb. This climb involves multiple roles or positions – perhaps at multiple companies – designed to help you earn the experience you need to reach your peak.
Right now, however, you may feel stranded at base camp, or like you’ve reached another sort of plateau.

Here are 3 things that could be stopping you from climbing the corporate ladder, along with tips for pressing onward.

1- You’re Confused

Maybe you’ve reached a point where you’re not sure if your original “ultimate career goal” is really for you anymore. You’re frustrated with the company you work for, or you’re looking to try something new. That’s okay. Passions change, and so do professional dreams but what is critical is to know your strengths and goals so that you can head towards the right destination.

If you’re confused about what you really want out of your professional life, the time to step back and consider your options is now. Instead of staying stuck on your current rung on the corporate ladder, think about your true life goal.
If you’re on the wrong path, take whatever steps might be necessary to change it, even if it means going back to school or starting over. You can seek professional help from a career transition coach who can help you navigate this issue in a
stress-free way

2- You’re Failing to Take Feedback
When we’re asking for feedback on our work, it’s not always an “I feel awesome” moment. Yes, sometimes our questions lead to a round of applause and a “Fantastic job!”
But more often, they lead to our boss rattling off critiques, or co-workers stating, “It’s OK, but maybe you should try this instead,” and we immediately have to go back to the drawing board, feeling defeated and embarrassed.
One option is to never ask for feedback, but that only hurts you in the long run. How else are you going to be sure your final product satisfies your manager, team, or company’s needs? And how else are you going to improve upon your skill set?
The other option is to know how to ask for it, without hurting your reputation and confidence.
Take it from a psychologist: It’s all in the wording, or, rather, one word specifically. In a recent Business Insider article, Robert Cialdini, a psychology professor at Arizona State University, recommends this simple swap: Instead of saying “Can I get your opinion on this?” say “Can I get your advice on this?”
According to Cialdini, this rephrasing can actually make the person see you as more competent and be more supportive of your idea. The reason, psychologically speaking, is because “opinion” suggests that the person must look inside themselves for the answer, while “advice” encourages them to work in collaboration with you to find the solution.
Also, if we’re being honest, asking for someone’s opinion isn’t all that productive—you’re merely inviting the person to point out flaws in you, your project, or your process. Asking for advice, on the other hand, takes it one step further and asks not just for their thoughts, but how they would fix the problem.
So, the next time you’re scared asking for feedback will only damage your image, try this handy word play. You might get some actually useful advice!

​3- You Listen Too Much to the Opinions Surrounding You

When you have strong work relationships, you’re bound to be part of discussions – inside and outside of the office – about how things are going. For many people, these discussions can turn negative quickly.
One way that people relate to one another – especially co-workers – is to discuss the job. Finding a common area of complaint is, unfortunately, sometimes the easiest way to make this happen.
It can help co-workers connect, but, over time, it can also be a drag. Instead of becoming involved in negative conversations or boged down by those who complain about their jobs, think about the positives surrounding you.
Whether you voice them or not is your choice, but keep a list of what you love about your job on hand so that when you’re tempted to become swayed by the opinions of others, you can stay strong. Moving up the corporate ladder could depend upon it. With that, when you focus on the positive, your body generates happy hormones that improve your productivity and creativity capacity which will help you bring your best at work.

If you work on this three things, you will be able to move forward in you. If you want to learn more, register for a free online workshop with Baldeep Kaur ( 21st June/22nd June/24th June) to learn how to get your corporate career on the fast-track to extraordinary success. Click the button below to register for a free spot in the upcoming Free Online Career Workshop.

About the Author:
Baldeep Kaur, Founder of Inspiring Evolution, is a leading career coach and an organizational psychologist who has helped hundreds of executives create extraordinarily successful careers. ​

7 thoughts on “Top 3 things that are stopping your from climbing the corporate ladder quickly”

Baldeep, I like the approach of asking for advice rather than opinion and avenues of growing in a job. Been through frustration and bonding with team mates in the past to now where I work from home. The latter brought so much of happiness to me.
It’s a rich post filled with learning and keep going with your new venture.

Visualize what you want to achieve every day for 5 mins. With that, write down your goals to give you better clarity. These two exercises, when done regularly, will surely take you closer to your destination. Good luck